Study Highlights Oregon’s Strong Maternity Care System Amid Nationwide Shortcomings
Oregon ranks ninth in a study that reveals the U.S. states providing the most comprehensive maternity care.
Oregon is Placed 9th With 57.7 Points Out of a Possible 100
The study was conducted by Birth Injury Lawyers Group and found that Louisiana is the top maternity care state in the country, scoring 90 out of a possible 100 points. Oregon scored 57.7 points.
Ten different metrics were assessed – costs, services, and maternity care policies.
Louisiana is the Best State in Which to Give Birth
Louisiana offers the lowest fees across all types of delivery, as well as in-and-out-of-network prices.
The average in-network cost for non-C-section births is $8,923. Louisiana is also one of just three states offering both a mental health task force for new mothers and requiring doctors to screen both pre- and post-natal for mental health disorders.
Second on the list is Oklahoma with a score of 84.9, and California gained third position with 80.2 points.
Oklahoma has the fifth-lowest cost of in-network delivery at $10,681, and also offers both pre- and-post-natal mental health screening.
Although third-placed California is one of the most expensive states in which to give birth, with average fees totaling $17,791, the state nevertheless offers extensive Medicaid cover and is one of only three states offering both a mental health task force and mental health screening for mothers.
South Dakota is at the Bottom of the Rankings
The bottom-ranked state is South Dakota, where a score of only 13.5 out of a possible 100 was recorded. Not far behind was Alaska with a score of 16.4.
However, South Dakota ranked 28th cheapest for all types of births, with in-network vaginal deliveries costing $13,294. Its ranking suffers because there is no mental health task force, expanded Medicaid, or requirements for pre- and post-natal mental health screening.
Top 10 States for Maternal Healthcare
| Rank | State | Delivery Costs Rank | Policy Rank | Medicaid Rank | Score (/100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana | 1 | 1 | 6 | 90.0 |
| 2 | Oklahoma | 5 | 1 | 6 | 84.9 |
| 3 | California | 49 | 1 | 1 | 80.2 |
| 4 | Maryland | 4 | 6 | 6 | 65.9 |
| 5 | Illinois | 28 | 4 | 6 | 65.3 |
| 6 | Ohio | 11 | 6 | 6 | 64.0 |
| 7 | Arizona | 34 | 6 | 6 | 59.3 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 39 | 6 | 6 | 58.1 |
| 9 | Oregon | 41 | 6 | 6 | 57.7 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 30 | 15 | 1 | 55.3 |
Data for the study were sourced from the National Academy for State Health Policy, Kaiser Family Foundation, FAIR Health, and The Policy Center for Maternal Health.